JOHN BALDWIN 2015
I was born on Parkwood in July 1950.
A map is attached as I remember the wood and the special places I remember. Below are a few tales of how these places became christened:
1. Indian bushes. All the kids in summer made dens in this area it was full of large ferns and small bushes. Very difficult to find the dens and it was used for ‘Cowboys and Indians’.
2. Top Field. Quite a large flat field that we used for football/cricket (bottom playing fields) were usually quite busy.
3. Plateau. Long flat strip of land above the quarry this was usually our camping area (much to our parents warnings of accidents) When we were young teenagers we were allowed to camp overnight as long as we had 4 or 6 people.
4. Quarry. I think these dates are correct 1959-1965 but could be wrong? Anyway the quarry was flooded to quite a depth and this was used as a boating pool using rafts made from old planks of wood secured to oil drums (collected from Sternol Oils in Thwaites Village by The Shoulder of Mutton Public House)Man
y great hours were spent here during the school holidays.
5. Delph Area. General Play area. Elephants hump – the largest hill I am 99% certain this was its given name. Camels hump – smaller hill with 2 thus ‘camels hump’.
6. Open Field. From the start of the woodland down to the top of Parkwood St. This in the summer was regularly used for grass sledging. Old cardboard boxes were given to the kids from the “6” shops that we had on Parkwood in those days. These were flattened and used as sledges obviously the summers must have been drier and hotter as the tracks became very fast even to the point of being quite dangerous in places.
7. Old air raid shelter. Used as a den, but I think it was demolished in later years.
8. Small quarry. (Not a quarry at all)but this was the kids name for it. A tree was situated on the peak of the hill thus giving quite a height for a swing. I think this was the dread of all parents (and the Victoria Hospital as it was known then) during the school holidays, 1 break per week, hand, wrist, arm? Wasn’t unusual.
9. Orchard. Apples and pears were available if asked for 9windfalls) but kids often tried their luck of taking them directly from the trees without being caught by the owner and his husky dogs. (Windfalls were small but easier)
10. Main path to Parkwood Street. During the snowy season this path made one of the best sledge tracks known to child. It was very fast indeed, very hair raising but to be fair very dangerous for other people using the path, but this did not deter the kids and many happy hours were spent here. I do believe it was christened by some as the ‘Cresta Run’.
11. Underground stream. This was not known by many people, but it was a tiny stone building with a removable wooden door, which inside contained cold fresh water ( well we all hoped it did we drank plenty in summer instead of going all the way home!)
Obviously the wood in those days had gas lighting which was quite sufficient when in use or not damaged. Believe it or not any damage was usually carried out by kids but not the locals who were warned about this every day of the school holidays.
Benches were located in 3 places within the wood for people requiring a rest.
Another couple of things I would like to mention are:
1. Our Ukranian and Polish friends were often visitors to the wood collecting fungi, wild garlic and blackberries.
2. My friend and I had a Sunday morning job of collecting 2 cans full of worms for his Fathers fishing day!
A map is attached as I remember the wood and the special places I remember. Below are a few tales of how these places became christened:
1. Indian bushes. All the kids in summer made dens in this area it was full of large ferns and small bushes. Very difficult to find the dens and it was used for ‘Cowboys and Indians’.
2. Top Field. Quite a large flat field that we used for football/cricket (bottom playing fields) were usually quite busy.
3. Plateau. Long flat strip of land above the quarry this was usually our camping area (much to our parents warnings of accidents) When we were young teenagers we were allowed to camp overnight as long as we had 4 or 6 people.
4. Quarry. I think these dates are correct 1959-1965 but could be wrong? Anyway the quarry was flooded to quite a depth and this was used as a boating pool using rafts made from old planks of wood secured to oil drums (collected from Sternol Oils in Thwaites Village by The Shoulder of Mutton Public House)Man
y great hours were spent here during the school holidays.
5. Delph Area. General Play area. Elephants hump – the largest hill I am 99% certain this was its given name. Camels hump – smaller hill with 2 thus ‘camels hump’.
6. Open Field. From the start of the woodland down to the top of Parkwood St. This in the summer was regularly used for grass sledging. Old cardboard boxes were given to the kids from the “6” shops that we had on Parkwood in those days. These were flattened and used as sledges obviously the summers must have been drier and hotter as the tracks became very fast even to the point of being quite dangerous in places.
7. Old air raid shelter. Used as a den, but I think it was demolished in later years.
8. Small quarry. (Not a quarry at all)but this was the kids name for it. A tree was situated on the peak of the hill thus giving quite a height for a swing. I think this was the dread of all parents (and the Victoria Hospital as it was known then) during the school holidays, 1 break per week, hand, wrist, arm? Wasn’t unusual.
9. Orchard. Apples and pears were available if asked for 9windfalls) but kids often tried their luck of taking them directly from the trees without being caught by the owner and his husky dogs. (Windfalls were small but easier)
10. Main path to Parkwood Street. During the snowy season this path made one of the best sledge tracks known to child. It was very fast indeed, very hair raising but to be fair very dangerous for other people using the path, but this did not deter the kids and many happy hours were spent here. I do believe it was christened by some as the ‘Cresta Run’.
11. Underground stream. This was not known by many people, but it was a tiny stone building with a removable wooden door, which inside contained cold fresh water ( well we all hoped it did we drank plenty in summer instead of going all the way home!)
Obviously the wood in those days had gas lighting which was quite sufficient when in use or not damaged. Believe it or not any damage was usually carried out by kids but not the locals who were warned about this every day of the school holidays.
Benches were located in 3 places within the wood for people requiring a rest.
Another couple of things I would like to mention are:
1. Our Ukranian and Polish friends were often visitors to the wood collecting fungi, wild garlic and blackberries.
2. My friend and I had a Sunday morning job of collecting 2 cans full of worms for his Fathers fishing day!
